Sunday, November 9
Charlotte, N.C.
3 PM
NC State
vs
USC
No. 9 Women’s Basketball Set for Another Ranked Matchup with No. 18 USC at Ally Tipoff
11/8/2025 10:33:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Live Stats | ESPN Broadcast | Radio Broadcast | NC State Notes | USC Notes | Media Central
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The No. 9/8 NC State women's basketball team will stay on the road for another ranked matchup to start the season against No. 18/16 USC at the 2025 Ally Tipoff. The game at the Spectrum Center is set to tipoff at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.
The Ally Tipoff, hosted by the Charlotte Sports Foundation, is one of the nation's premier early-season women's college basketball showcases.
SCOUTING NC STATE
- NC State is coming off a huge top 10 win to begin the season after defeating No. 8/9 Tennessee, 80-77, at the Ro Greensboro Invitational. The win gave the Pack its fourth consecutive season-opening victory and 12th in the last 13 years
- Khamil Pierre was the Most Outstanding Player of the game after logging 21 points, 14 rebounds and three steals. Four players for the Pack were in double digits in scoring
- After one game, Pierre leads the team in points (21.0), rebounds (14.0) and steals (3.0)
- Zoe Brooks and Zamareya Jones have the most assists per game (5.0) and Trygger has the most blocks with 2.0 per game after one contest
- NC State was picked to finish second in the ACC in the preseason poll after finishing 28-7 and making the program's sixth NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance in the past seven tournaments and winning a share at the ACC Regular Season Championship in 2024-25
- The Pack is ranked in both preseason top 25 polls. NC State is No. 9 in the AP Preseason Poll and No. 8 in the WBCA Coaches Preseason Poll
- NC State had two players on the 10-person Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason All-ACC Team. Brooks had the second most votes on the preseason team and Pierre also made a spot on the team
- Pierre was selected as one of 15 on the Wade Award Watchlist, given to the nation's best player
- Four different players made preseason top 20 watchlists from Naismith with Brooks (Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Watchlist), Jones (Ann Meyers-Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year), Pierre (Katrina McClain Preseason Watchlist) and Trygger (Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Preseason Watchlist). Brooks and Pierre are also on the Jersey Mike's Naismith Player of the Year Watchlist
- The Pack welcomes back seven returners from 2024-25 and has brought in four newcomers
SCOUTING SOUTHERN CAL
- USC was picked to finish third and fourth, respectively in the media and coaches Preseason All-Big Ten Poll. The Trojans went 31-4 and won the Big Ten Regular Season title with a 16-1 mark last season. USC made the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in back-to-back seasons in 2024 and 2025
- USC was ranked No. 18 in the AP and No. 16 in the WBCA Preseason Rankings
- The reigning National Player of the Year JuJu Watkins is out for the season due to injury, but the Trojans bring four high-impact transfers, including UCLA transfer Londynn Jones and All-ACC First Team choice from Georgia Tech, Kara Dunn. Jazzy Davidson, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2025, also highlights the Trojan's group of newcomers
- The Trojans defeated New Mexico State, 87-48, to begin the season
- After one game, Londynn Jones leads USC with 16.0 points per game
- Gerda Raulusaiyte paces the team in rebounding with 9.0 boards per game
- Davidson and Malia Samuels have a team's most 4.0 assists per game
LAST TIME OUT
- The Pack earned a hard-fought top 10 win to start the season over No. 8/9 Tennessee, 80-77, in the Ro Greensboro Invitational
- The game featured 11 lead changes and two ties, but the Pack pulled out the win following key plays down the stretch. Those plays include Pierre's go-ahead basket, a big defensive board from Qadence Samuels, Trygger's big offensive board with a kickout to Jones who made both free throws and the Pack's stop on defense with 1.9 seconds to go
- Pierre was named the Ro Greensboro Invitational Most Outstanding Player, logging 21 points, 14 rebounds and three steals in her Wolfpack debut
- Trygger was big in the game, matching a career-high 19 points with eight boards and two blocks. She shot 8-of-13 from the field
- Jones also matched a career-high in points with 18, recording nine of those in the fourth quarter and accounting for the Pack's final 11 points of the game. She also added five assists
- Brooks recorded her fifth career double-double behind 13 points and 11 rebounds with five assists
- Samuels finished with a +16 +/- and was key on defense in her 30 minutes of play
- In a game in which the Pack was up against the press all 40 minutes, NC State had one less turnover (11-10) than the Lady Vols and also won the battle in fast breaks (12-6)
- Both teams tied in rebounds (48) and the Pack logged 15 offensive boards
SERIES HISTORY (SERIES TIED 1-1)
- The series between NC State and USC is knotted up at 1-1, as the teams go into the rubbermatch for the third game in the series Sunday
- USC defeated the Pack, 84-75, in the last meeting on Dec. 5, 2010 at home
- The Pack beat the Trojans, 59-53, in the team's first meeting on Dec. 30, 2009, on the road
- This matchup marks the first neutral site meeting
UPCOMING
NC State is set to host Maine in the Pack's home opener on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at Reynolds Coliseum. The game will tipoff at 7 p.m. and will be aired on ACC Network Extra. Tickets for the game can be purchased HERE.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's BasketballNC State Press Conference vs. Tennessee
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Wes Moore Media Availability_Preseason, Tennessee
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ACC Tipoff Q&A
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Zoe Brooks and Zamareya Jones on ACCN Set at ACC Tipoff
Tuesday, October 07